Take Us As We Are
by Hitomi Hyuga
Summary: Follow Kyoya on a personal journey as he discovers things he never knew about himself and his best friend, Tamaki. They, along with their friends and families, will learn to accept the things they cannot change.
1. Chapter 1

**Take Us As We Are**

**Chapter 1**

**Hitomi Hyuga**

* * *

The structure and dynamics of the human brain were not subjects that were completely lost on me. I knew the matter of which the brain was composed, how that matter functioned, and the effects of the interaction between that matter and chemical processes on human thought and personality. This information was available even in most basic secondary school courses. Many of my father's colleagues had spent their entire academic careers mastering the subject, a process that could take anywhere between eight to twelve years. To this day, there are still controversies over psychoanalytic theories, making psychology and the intricacy of the human brain one of the most debated subjects in all of academia.

And to be perfectly honest, I was quite bored by it.

It's not that I didn't understand it, quite the opposite in fact; I had passed my biology and even psychology classes with exceptional scores. I had done my damnedest to learn the lobes of the brain and the function of each one, but I had done so with very little enthusiasm. I never saw it as something I would need to study extensively as the chief executive of my father's business; sure, I would likely need to know the basics seeing as I'm running a medical business, but nothing past the bare essentials. I much preferred studying languages, especially English and German, and I thought language skills to be much more valuable to a businessman than those of life sciences.

Yet, as I watched Tamaki Suoh flit about Music Room #3, I couldn't help but wonder which part of his brain had malfunctioned and was making him act so ridiculously. And for that matter, which fuse had blown in the brains of our female guests that caused them to find his behavior so alluring? Their starry eyes followed his every move as he gave each of the ladies a little attention, just as he had done thousands of times before. I snorted despite myself, knowing that his "princely" routine was in very high demand among our guests and was very much the act that allowed our Host Club to take off. It was for this reason and this reason alone that I was able to tolerate his usual silly antics.

At least that's what I always told myself.

"Um…Kyoya?" My attention shifted from Tamaki's table to the girl who had approached my table, a girl I recognized as one of Honey-sempai's regulars. She was quite reserved compared to the rest of our guests, more keen to enjoy a host's company quietly rather than bombard him with questions and squeal when he answers them.

"Ah, Miss Koizumi. How may I help you?" I said, turning on the "cool guy" charm that apparently fit my persona (though I never saw it myself).

"I-I'd like to make another appointment for tomorrow afternoon with Haninozuka, please," she said, struggling to make eye contact with me.

"Of course, mademoiselle," I opened up the club's weekly schedule on my laptop. "4:15, your usual time?"

"Er, yes please," she answered. "Thank you."

"It's my pleasure, my dear," I said, giving her a small smile, as I did with every other guest. I noted the slight blush on her cheeks as she voiced her farewell and bowed anxiously before leaving the club. She had always been the bashful type, so I brushed it off as a behavioral idiosyncrasy.

Not long after, just when the last guest had left, we (the hosts) spent idle time together, cleaning up after the day's event, enjoying some of the leftover hors d'oeuvres, or, as I often spent this time, crunching numbers and working out the club's budget after the daily expenses were taken into account. Haruhi sat at the table with me, doing her homework, something that never ceased to amaze Tamaki and the Hitachiins for some reason.

"Haruhi, why do you have to do your homework here?" asked Kaoru.

"Couldn't you just do it at home?" chimed Hikaru. "C'mon, we're bored!"

Haruhi's brow furrowed. "I have chores to do when I get home; this is the only free time I have."

Tamaki was quick to step between her and the two brothers. "How could you two be so insensitive? What business of it is yours when and where she does her homework?" He turned to her. "If you wanted to, though, I could always come and help you with your household duties so you have more free time!" His eyes gleamed hopefully, an expression that was quickly dashed when he received his answer.

"No thanks, Sempai, I have about all I can handle of you during the day. I don't need you hanging around at home too." I smirked as Tamaki cried out in shock and disbelief (even though she had _always_ been blunt with him) and went to sulk in the corner. The twins, spying an opportunity to torment him further, went to go mock him for his most recent rejection.

"Kyoya-sempai?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at the inquirer sitting across from me. "At times like this I'm very thankful for your company. I don't know how you can put up with Tamaki-sempai; you must have the patience of a saint!"

_Actually, it's not that hard,_ I thought to myself, then shaking the thought as quickly as it had appeared. I simply nodded in acknowledgement of her statement.

"Now that I think about it…" Haruhi leaned toward me a little. "Why don't you ever have guests, Kyoya-sempai? You're always playing the bouncer of the club, when you could attract so many customers as a host. I bet your patience and charm would be really popular."

I stared at her blankly. "I don't follow."

"She's right Kyo-chan!" piped Honey-sempai, bouncing over to our table. "I bet you'd be _really_ popular with the ladies!"

Tamaki seemed to recover from his humiliation and joined the conversation seamlessly. "You know, they're right! Kyoya, it's high time you start taking in guests as a host more often!"

"In case you all have forgotten," I began, eyeing all three of them. "I do occasionally take guests. But someone has to man the front of this club."

"We could always have Renge do that; she doesn't have female fans requesting her attention," said Hikaru, he and his brother pushing their way into this seemingly futile conversation. "C'mon, Kyoya-sempai, think of the income we could get from extra guests."

"Don't get me wrong; Renge is certainly passionate about what she does, but I'm not going to up and drop my duties as the club's financier and…"

"Secretary?" interrupted Kaoru. Snickers arose from the rest of the hosts, making my face redden in embarrassment.

"Call it what you will, it's what keeps this club afloat," I said coolly, closing my laptop. "And I won't be handing over what I do to another person anytime soon." I gathered my schoolbooks and bag and headed for the door. "Don't forget, everyone: tomorrow's theme is Greek wear. I'll have your attire prepared for you here at 2:30. We also will be having a mandatory club meeting to discuss our autumn event, so everyone needs to stay just a while longer after we dismiss our guests." My reminders were met with nods and a chorus of confirmations and goodbyes. Before I realized it, Tamaki was out the door and walking with me down the hallway.

"Going home early today? What's wrong, Mommy dear?" he said as he looked at me with wide, curious eyes and a playful grin. I smirked and averted my eyes from him, keeping them straight ahead as I walked.

"Nothing in particular; why do you ask?" I watched him rub the back of his head sheepishly, an unusual, yet strangely endearing, habit he exhibited when he was anxious._  
_

"You seem angry. If we upset you in there, I apologize on behalf of all of us. I guess we just don't know when to let it go, eh?" he said with a nervous chuckle.

I gave him a rare sincere smile. "No, I'm not upset. I appreciate the concern, but it has nothing to do with what they said. I've got work to do, so I'm going home early to get started. It's as simple as that."

"Oh, okay! Well that's good!" all at once, Tamaki perked up and was himself again, just as I preferred him to be. "At the risk of upsetting you once more, I'd like for you to at least consider what we suggested; I think someone as charming and handsome as you would be incredibly popular with our guests."

I turned my face from him, feeling my face grow hot. "Er…fine, I'll think it over tonight."

Tamaki smiled, a minuscule gesture that even I couldn't bring myself to look away from no matter how embarrassed I was. "Excellent! I'll see you tomorrow, Kyoya!" A friendly arm around my shoulder almost pushed me over the edge, but fortunately it only lasted a few seconds. Then there he went, practically galloping back down the hallway to Music Room #3.

As much as I refused to believe it, I enjoyed those fleeting moments much more than I was willing to admit.

* * *

**Just thought I'd put this out here and get a little feedback. Want more? I'll write more!**

**-H. H.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Take Us As We Are**

**Chapter 2**

**Hitomi Hyuga**

* * *

"Kyoya, you work entirely too much for a second-year."

I sighed and put down my pen. "Be that as it may, you rummage through my drawers entirely too much for someone who claims not to do so."

Fuyumi looked up from my dresser to smile at me. "Call it a force of habit, I guess." I shook my head and went back to my physics homework, trying to focus on the equations instead of my meddlesome sister.

She put down an article of my clothing to look at me inquisitively. "You're awfully quiet tonight, is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine," I answered. "Why do you ask?" It wasn't unlike her to ask me questions like that, but it seemed a little odd since there was nothing troubling me. At least, nothing I consciously recognized.

"Like I said, you're too quiet. And I can't think of anything that might've upset you, so I wanted to hear it directly from you," she said.

"Believe me, Fuyumi, if something were wrong, you'd be the first to know about it."

"I would? I feel so honored!" she giggled.

I rolled my eyes. "I suppose I'm just thinking about the Host Club's autumn event. We still aren't sure what we're going to do."

"I'm sure Suoh will have something prepared by morning," she said, quietly going back to digging through my dresser.

"What makes you so confident?" I looked up at her to see her back turned to me.

"Doesn't he always?"

I paused and put my pencil down. "You have a point," I said with a small chuckle, imagining the wild idea Tamaki would bring into the club with him. I pictured the stars he would have in his eyes, the grandeur with which he would describe the evening from start to finish, and, of course, his elaborate scheme to make Haruhi fall in love with him.

"What's with the dreamy look on your face, huh?" I jumped, not realizing that she was facing me again with her hands on her hips and a cocky smile on her face. I only answered her with a questioning glance as I tried to return to my homework. "Oh come on, Kyoya! Why did you get all smiley when I mentioned Suoh?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said. Immediately, I regretted my answer as her smirk grew.

"You're lying! What were you thinking about?" She put her arm around me and pulled me close to her.

For once, I briefly let my guard down and recalled to her what I had thought about. After all, if I couldn't tell my only sister, the person with whom I was closest, who could I tell?

"Are you sure that's all?" she asked. I grew increasingly frustrated with her persistent pestering, and why wouldn't I? She clearly knew what I didn't at the time.

"Yes, I'm quite sure," I answered coolly. "And I can assure you that my expression was not 'dreamy' by any stretch."

"You don't know that, you aren't the one who saw the expression," she said, a smug air of satisfaction about her. I found it infuriating. I closed my notebook and shoved myself past her to get to my (now disorganized) dresser to change into my pajamas.

"I'm going to bed."

Fuyumi frowned at me. "Aw, I didn't mean to make you mad, Kyoya. I promise."

"I know you didn't mean to…" I began.

"…but I did anyway, right?" Her answer took me by surprise. I couldn't answer her after that; I only continued to get ready for bed. "Look, Kyoya, I'm sorry I always intrude on your personal space and make you uncomfortable. But you have to learn to start letting people in! Don't you plan on getting married one day? I've never heard you talk about girls that you like, why don't you find yourself a girlfriend?"

"Fuyumi, this has nothing to do with my interactions with girls. I'm too busy for a girlfriend; she would likely only get in the way of my schoolwork and club activities. None of the hosts have girlfriends, you know. It could ruin their status with our guests."

"You're changing the subject," she said. "If you aren't interested, that's none of my business. I was just thinking that you might be a little lonesome, that's all."

I sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. It was time to allow her back in. "You don't need to worry about me being lonely. Thanks to Tamaki and the Host Club, I'll never really be truly alone. As for getting married, I think I'll wait until I've completed my education entirely."

She smiled and hugged me. "That's a good boy. You don't need to change a thing; you just do what makes you happy."

"Thank you," I gladly returned her hug. "If you don't mind, I think I'm going to retire for the night."

"So early?"

"I've got a long day tomorrow."

She shrugged. "If you say so." She turned to leave, but paused just as she was at the door. "You know, I didn't notice it at first, but you're much happier and more sociable since you've been in that Host Club. Suoh is doing you a lot more good than you realize. You ought to keep him around."

At that moment, I didn't think much of my sister's seemingly harmless comment; I simply continued my nightly routine of brushing my teeth and washing my face. But as the night went on, I couldn't help but replay the last part of her comment in my head.

_"Suoh is doing you a lot of good. You ought to keep him around." What on Earth does she mean by that?_ I wanted nothing more than to get a full nights' rest, but those sentences rang into my mind in my every waking moment that night, even when my sleep was disturbed by a breeze outside or noise from somewhere else in the manor.

It was a question that haunted me for days afterward: was she trying to suggest something? What could it possibly have been?

* * *

**Chapter 2 is a go! It's a bit shorter this time, but hey, not much is going on. Gimme a little more time, and it'll pick up!**

**Okay, slight change; the spring event is now the autumn event. Just felt like changing it, since the school year in Japan begins and ends in spring. I dunno, I want them all in school together for the duration of the story. **

**You like this? Tell people! And leave a review on your way out, it helps draw in more readers!**

**-H. H.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Take Us As We Are**

**Chapter 3**

**Hitomi Hyuga**

* * *

In my days with the Host Club, we have catered to a wide variety of guests with a wide variety of personalities and temperaments. It's very typical for a guest to swoon, blush, or even squeal while she is visiting with her favorite host. On rarer occasions, we've had ladies become overwrought with emotion, causing them to run out of the room or even faint. Fortunately, those cases are few and far between. And, of course, there have been cases of ladies developing crushes on a host and become more attached to them than our system allows: no single guest is more important than another and all guests receive equal treatment from the hosts.

If there were any guests that I worried about most, they were Tamaki's. While Haruhi was a steady competitor for most popular host, she never got too close to her guests. Being a lady herself, she proved to be a much better conversation partner than a romantic partner; simultaneously, she had a sweetness and sincerity to her that kept the ladies charmed. Tamaki's main attraction was his physical interaction, so many of his guests grew quickly attached.

I thought about this as I watched as Tamaki's current guest, Miss Atsuko Oshiro (daughter of the vice president of the national branch of one of our medical equipment suppliers), fanned herself as Tamaki gently brushed his hand across her cheek. I snorted. _Sheesh, for someone who presented herself so well at the last company benefit gala, it doesn't take much to reduce her to a giddy mess of hormones. _I stopped myself; it wasn't in the spirit of the Host Club to mock guests, in private or otherwise.

It certainly must have helped to have added a new type of cosplay to our repertoire; we had recycled kimonos and semi-formal attire many times, but such was not the case with costumes like the knight uniforms or tropical wear. Greek togas and sandals with knee-high straps were new to the Host Club; I grimaced at the thought of how large a dent they had made in our budget. I adjusted the laurel wreath atop my head (real leaves, of course), looking at the identical wreaths on everyone else's heads. I had to hand it to him; he knew exactly what our guests would find becoming. _Always new, always fresh, and always enticing. Tamaki ought to live by those words. _

I looked up from my observing to see Miss Koizumi approaching my table as per usual. Clearly, she was still uncomfortable around me, so I held up my hand before she could speak.

"Honey-sempai, Monday at 4:15?"

"A-Actually I'd like to change my appointment," she said, eyes on the floor.

"Ah, are you coming at a different time?"

"Well, not exactly…" As she fiddled with the cuffs of her sleeves, Honey-sempai came cavorting toward my table.

"Oh hi, Masu-chan! Did you tell him yet?" The girl sighed and shook her head. "It's okay, I can help! Kyo-chan, Masu-chan would like to request to sit with you!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Miss Koizumi, is this true?" I could see Tamaki's head perk up as he listened to the exchange.

"Yes sir, it is…" she said, never once looking up at me. "I would like to join you for tea as your guest."

"That's very flattering, Mademoiselle, but I don't normally take in guests when there's work to be done." I was almost a little annoyed. _Do they want me to plan this event or not?_

At this point, Tamaki was in spy mode; as this exchange was taking place, he was peeking over the back of his chair, eyes glimmering.

"Aw, c'mon Kyo-chan! I bet you and Masu-chan would have a great time!" Honey-sempai gestured to the now blushing girl.

"I'm sorry, Miss Koizumi, but I couldn't possibly take in guests at this time. Perhaps once the autumn event is over, I'll have more time."

"Kyoya, that's no attitude for a host to have!" I looked up to see Tamaki approaching our table, charm noticeably turned on. "A lady has graciously requested your company, and you have refused her! Have I taught you nothing?" With his last sentence, he turned his face away dramatically.

"It's nothing against this fine young woman, I can promise you that. But I can't afford distractions right now."

"I was afraid you might say that," said Tamaki, back still turned. "This is why I have forbidden you to work during club hours!" He whirled around with a flourish, taking a stance he often used when outlining his ridiculous plans. "With that extra time, you can draw in more customers and, of course, attend to our bashful princess here." He took her hand and bowed, pressing his lips gently against her knuckles. I wasn't sure why, but I had to resist the urge to snatch her hand away from him. Not because I felt protective of her, of course.

"Tamaki, you can't be…"

"Ah-ah-ah! Not a word of protest from you! It's already been settled and will go into effect on Monday! Princess, this fine young gentleman will join you then for tea at 4:15!" Poor Miss Koizumi, as if her nerves weren't frayed enough, couldn't even form words at this point. Face red as a cherry, she hurried out the club doors before I could apologize on the tactless club king's behalf.

"Now that that's settled, it's time to start closing our doors for the day. Honey-sempai, go wrap things up with your guests, and I'll do the same. Kyoya, close down your finance reports and let's get ready for this meeting."

Begrudgingly, I did as I was told, releasing a pent-up sigh as I did so. Tamaki must have heard me, because he stopped in his tracks and turned to look back at me.

"Hey, Kyoya?"

"Hm?"

"…you can still work during club hours. But only after your guest has left."

"Tamaki, you don't have to do that." Angry as I was, I felt slightly guilty for letting my frustration show. "I have plenty of time at home to…"

"I know you do. But I know you hate being put out of your routine, so I'll ease up on the rule. It can be our little secret, okay?" He smiled sincerely and nodded, a gesture I couldn't help but return. After all, I had never felt my heart flutter like that before.

* * *

"Men, our autumn event is coming up soon," began Tamaki, not noticing that half of the club was barely paying attention. "We have one month to plan it, so we need to decide what we'll be doing for it today!"

"Um, Sempai? Shouldn't we have started planning before now? That doesn't leave us much time," said Haruhi. _It's like she forgets how quickly we can operate here. Did I not assemble an entire police squad in less than fifteen minutes when Honey-sempai went missing at the resort? _I shook my head. What they didn't know was that, at every planning meeting, I always had a catalyst at the ready; one small statement that would spark inspiration in Tamaki and lead to a concrete decision.

"Dear, sweet Haruhi," said Tamaki, holding a hand out beseechingly to her. "Your upbringing as a commoner has sheltered you from so much convenience!" He began to walk around her chair as he spoke, as if he were performing a monologue to her. "What may take the average poor man takes half the time for someone born into aristocracy. You see, we have many private resources available: if we need special décor, hors d'oeuvres, or attire, we know where to find the very best." I couldn't quite make out what Haruhi grumbled in response, but I assume it was something along the lines of "damn rich people."

"So what, are we deciding on a theme?" asked Kaoru, Hikaru by his side playing a handheld game.

"Not a _theme_, per se," said Tamaki. "More like a certain _style_ of party. You know, like a garden party or a semi-formal dance; those are the ones that we've done before."

"So why can't we just do another one of those?" asked Hikaru absent-mindedly. "Save a lot of trouble."

Tamaki stalked over to them and gave each a firm punch to the head. "Have you no sense of duty as a host? We can't just recycle the same parties over and over again! We need to keep our guests _riveted! Enraptured!_ And they'll only be bored by another simple dance!"

"We should have a dessert party!" said Honey-sempai, his focus on a piece of chocolate cake. "We can have samples of different cakes, pies, tarts, tea…" He trailed off as he shoveled a rather large bite into his mouth.

Tamaki put his index finger to his chin. "Interesting, but not quite the big celebration I had in mind. But you're thinking and I like that!"

I decided that I'd grown bored of listening to their amusing banter and that it was time to put my oar in. "If I may interrupt, we haven't had a grand, formal ball yet."

"Hm…I like it!" said Tamaki. "We can up the standards for the dress code! Let's see, formal dresses for the ladies, tuxedos for the men…"

"Why don't we make it a masquerade ball?" piped Haruhi. "You know, everyone come wearing fancy masks?"

At this suggestion, a light bulb seemed to go off in Tamaki's mind. He swept over to Haruhi and enfolded her in a massive hug. "Haruhi! You're brilliant! That's an AMAZING idea!"

"Sempai, let me go!"

Tamaki complied, but his eyes were still starry. "I can see it now! Everyone in posh evening attire with ornate masks, top hats…"

I closed my laptop. "I think we have our party, gentlemen," I said over Tamaki's excited rambling. "We'll see all of you on Monday, no costumes." The hosts voiced their farewells and started drifting out of the room, talking amongst each other. Tamaki had stopped brainstorming out loud, but it was pretty clear that his mind was still racing.

"Kyoya, this is going to be our biggest event yet!" he said brightly. "I can't wait!"

"We have a month to plan this, so we'd better get to work on it," I told him.

"How about we work on it together?"

"I assumed that was the plan all along. We can work on it here after club hours."

"Are you kidding? There's so much to be done! I think we need to work on it LONG after club hours."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Long? I don't follow you."

"I mean, why don't I come over after we're done here and we can work at your house? It's much more private, and I bet we'll do more quality work at the comfort of a home."

"I don't know about this…" I was little irritated that he'd basically just invited himself over to my house without asking my permission. Then again, it shouldn't have been surprising in the least.

"Please Mommy? I'll bring over schematics so we can arrange the ballroom how we want, make a list of clothing we need, which foods and desserts we'll have, everything! All you have to do is help me decide! Please? Pretty please?" He dropped down on one knee and held up his clasped hands. What could I do?

"Fine, we'll meet on Monday."

"Yay! Thank you, Kyoya!" He threw his arms around me. "This'll be the best event we've ever done; I'll make sure of it! I'll see you on Monday!" With that, he bound out of Music Room #3, cheering all the way down the hall.

I felt my shoulders, where he had wrapped his arms. Normally, I would have groaned in embarrassment. However, this time I smiled and felt heat rise on my cheeks. I didn't even notice it at the time, but that one moment made me happier than I thought, and I was secretly hoping it would happen again very soon.

What could I say? The guy was growing on me in a new way after several years of friendship, and I didn't even notice it.

* * *

**Okay, just in case the ones who followed this didn't see the chapter 2 update, I changed it from a spring event to an autumn event. Just a little change, I explained it at the end of chapter 2.**

**The plot ball is a'rolling! How did I do? Let me know with a review! Please?**

**-H. H.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Take Us As We Are**

**Chapter 4**

**Hitomi Hyuga**

* * *

I looked up from my computer to see that Music Room #3 had suddenly grown dark. _Odd, I didn't realize I'd been here for this long. Amazing how the time gets away from a person._ It was 8:39 pm, and I hadn't left the club room after the meeting about the autumn event. _I suppose I should find a stopping point and continue when I get home. I probably shouldn't be at the school this late. I'll just finish up what I was doing and be on my way._

"Kyoya? What're you still doing here?"

I turned around. "I should be asking you the same question, Tamaki. It's past sundown. I thought you went home for the day."

He poked his head around the door frame of the club entrance. "It got lonely," he whimpered, sporting his famous puppy-dog look. "I thought you might be too."

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm quite content here by myself," I told him. "I'll only be a few more minutes." I tried to shift my focus back to my work, but I heard Tamaki's footsteps getting closer to me. Before I could say anything, he was peering over my shoulder. "Do you mind?" I asked in a deadpan. I wasn't usually vocal about my pet peeves, but I wasn't going to take it from him.

"I just like watching you work. It's fun to see you so focused," he said, a stupid grin on his face. I sighed and continued working; it wasn't even worth trying to make him go away. He kept putting his hands on my shoulders, no matter how many times I brushed them away.

"Don't you have anywhere to be right now?" I asked, annoyed.

"I don't want to be anywhere else but right here with you, Kyoya!" he said, wrapping his arms enthusiastically around my shoulders, a childlike smile on his lips. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I felt my cheeks growing warm at his touch. I stood up and shoved his arms off of me.

"Tamaki, for once in your life can you act your age?" I said harshly. Strangely, he didn't recoil or sulk as he normally would. Instead, he only came closer.

"Why don't you loosen up once in a while?" he asked quietly.

His question took me by surprise. "Someone has to keep this club afloat, and someone has to be the serious one in this partnership."

"You're far too serious. Let me take some of your stress away and help you relax…" He took my hand and brushed the knuckles of his other hand down my cheek and along my jawline. I had no words; I could only stammer like an idiot at his light touch.

"Stop resisting, you know you're enjoying yourself," he whispered, his breath tickling my ear. I couldn't bring myself to stop him. Something kept me in his grasp, and I was perfectly content there. His hands drifted to my middle, where they latched together just over my navel. In this embrace, he pulled me closer to him where I could feel his chest move as he breathed. I reached up and cupped his cheek in my palm. I wanted so badly to keep him close to me, that that moment would last forever.

"You're perfect," he said, leaning closer and planting a tiny kiss behind my ear. I shivered at his touch. _No one has ever made me feel this way before… _

I became aware of a beeping sound in the distance, but I was in complete bliss. Its existence didn't bother me in the least. Everything felt hazy as Tamaki caressed my shoulders. All I cared about was that moment; the stress of the day's activities and those to come was melted away. I was putty in his hands.

The sound became louder, and Tamaki's presence began to feel distant. His touch seemed to fade away, as did his warmth.

"No!" I cried, turning around and pulling him toward me. He wrapped his arms around me, but it didn't stop the fading; he cried out as well, holding me tighter and tighter.

"Don't do this, Kyoya, don't leave!" he cried. I could see tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"I don't want to!" The sound suddenly became deafening, giving me a splitting headache. "What's happening?"

"You're leaving!" he cried. There wasn't much left to him, all I could make out was his torso. It felt like a great wind was blowing through the club room, and it was sweeping him away bit by bit. "Don't leave, please!"

I cringed and tightened my grip on him. The sound was all I could hear now, and it took away the last bit of the person who had given me feelings I wasn't able to explain. The wind picked up even more, and began to whip all around me. I tried to reach for something to hang onto, but there was nothing around; it was as if Music Room #3 had been completely emptied.

Finally, I could stay on my feet no longer; I was swept up by the gust and out the window, where I was sure I would fall to the ground below…

* * *

I jolted out of bed, heart racing and drenched in a cold sweat. I fumbled for my glasses on the nightstand, glaring resentfully at my beeping clock radio. _I should really consider switching the alarm to radio, _I thought grouchily. I shut off the alarm and felt extremely tempted to throw the covers back over myself and go back to sleep.

_…but what if I have that dream again?_

It was strange; a part of me _really_ wanted to go back to the dream world and the situation I had left before chaos had ensued. But the more I thought about it, the more terrified I became. _Why was I dreaming about something like that? More importantly…why do I want the dream back so badly?_

I tried my best to forget the dream as I dressed myself and prepared to go about my day. However little parts of the dream, parts I would never have admitted to enjoying, kept drifting into my consciousness. I tried to clear my mind every time the thoughts occurred, never wanting to have a questionable dream about my best friend again.

Little did I know, that was only the first shot fired in what would become an onslaught of romantic dreams.

* * *

**I'm back! A little late on this one, and a short chapter, but this one's got a little fluff to it. Everyone knows that fluff automatically adds up to more story, math said so. **

**Like it? Leave a review! Please don't just favorite and leave, reviews really help me in more ways than one. Also, everyone who reviews gets a free pet koala and plate of Rice Krispie Treats!**


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